Not So Perfect
by LeigH 143
Summary: Hayden is trying to run away from a life that she just wants to erase from her memory. She ends up with her cousin Dewey Finn. She meets his band and sparks arise between Freddy and Hayden. But will her dark past keep her from him?
1. Meeting You

'Cause we lost it all Nothing lasts for ever I'm sorry I can't be perfect. -Simple Plan  
  
Hm... I'm not a Simple Plan fan, but I like the chorus of their song 'Perfect' and saw Fan fiction POTENTIAL for it. This is my first SOR fic so PLEAAAASE R&R. You'll make me oh so happy!  
  
Disclaimer : I do not own School of Rock. But I do own Hayden. She is an object of my imagination. I do own this story so NO STEALING!  
  
Rating : PG – 13 for language.  
  
"FREDDY JONES! Where in the world do you think you're going?" The young boy's mother screamed after the retreating boy.  
  
"OUT!" He yelled and slammed the door.  
  
"God... they can never give me a break, can they?" He asked himself as he walked down the concrete path leading from the house.  
  
Pretty much all teenagers believe that parent's can never cut some slack, that their reasoning is never right, and things can never go their way. Sure, it may be true at times, but only later in life will we realize that it's for our own benefit. Sure, we think that they are ruining our life by not letting us go to a party. But they are probably right when they think that there will be drugs and drinking at this party, and we, as teenagers, might get sucked into the horrors of such deadly items. We know, or at least we think we know, that we will not get involved with these people. But, can we always prevent all of these happenings? No, we can't. Sure, parents can be a little overprotective, but it's worth it when you can be alive tomorrow. Freddy was planning on going to the studio where his band practiced. He wanted to just jam for awhile, get his mind off of the torture that many referred to as a home. His parents didn't like the idea of Freddy being in a rock band and not being home so often, but Freddy made it so there wasn't a choice. Freddy rarely listened to his parents, he was always a rebel ever since Dewey Finn presented new opportunities to them in 5th grade. Freddy was now a sophomore and no longer thought girls had cooties and no longer thought that saying no to parents would lead to a time out. He definitely took advantage of the latter. Freddy turned a dark corner, following the familiar path to the band's studio. Or rather rented out room in which they practiced. They had practiced in Dewey's apartment for quite some time. This was until the neighbor's above, below, and next to their practicing grounds started to complain. Now they had a room in the local guitar complex.  
  
Freddy skipped up the familiar steps.  
  
"Fucking parents. They never understand" He grumbled to himself. He placed his hand on the doorknob and turned it, surprised when it opened.  
  
"Hello?" he asked cautiously as he walked up the old wooden stairs.  
  
They creaked under his weight. No spoken answer came from his question. But there were sounds of a guitar tuning.  
  
"Zach?" this was the drummer's first guess because often Zach, the band's guitarist, would come and practice his songs to get away from his hell hole also.  
  
Often, Zach and Freddy would come together and create songs. At this point, they had about 5. All of a sudden, the guitar stopped. Freddy's curiosity increased and he ran up the remainder of the steps. When he got to the second floor, he started to walk again. He walked slowly to the band's door and opened it with caution.  
  
"Um... hi?" Freddy asked hesitantly to the turned back. The mysterious person swung around.  
  
A girl who looked to be about 15 stood in front of Freddy's eyes. Her stick straight brown hair hung in a high pony tail, stray hairs hanging loosely in her face. Her green eyes bore into his chocolate brown. She stood at about 5'5, which is pretty short for a girl in their sophomore year, leaving Freddy to stand about 4 inches above her. Her tan skin looked a lot darker in the dim room, the only light coming from the street lights below and a small lamp in the corner. After a few moments of silence the girl took a step towards him, with an outstretched hand.  
  
"Hey, I'm Hayden" He looked down at her hand, chipped black nail polish graced her finger nails.  
  
"Freddy" He said, with a small smile. He wasn't in the best mood.  
  
"Sorry, I'm Dewey's cousin. I came to stay with him because of family prob—`` She stopped herself "because they wanted me to have a big city experience" She quickly covered.  
  
"Family problem?" He asked, looking back at her as he walked to his drum set.  
  
"What?" Her inquiry only uncovered the lie a little bit more.  
  
"You said you came to stay with Dewey because of a family problem, not because of the big city experience. You could get that anywhere" He said smugly, leaning back in his black stool, with his back against the wall.  
  
"Hm... um... not a biggie. You know how dysfunctional families go" She shrugged, running her fingers over the scratched edge of her deep red Fender guitar.  
  
"More than you know..." He said looking down.  
  
"Yeah Dewey said that you might come down. Fight with the parents?" She asked him, trying to get off the subject of her family as fast as possible.  
  
"That guy knows us too well" Freddy added a laugh, trying to make himself feel a little happier.  
  
"Don't worry about it... I understand fighting with family more than you could know" A subtly fake smile on her face. Both teens were hiding their depths of problems, trying to push it aside. Silence filled the air. Hayden started to play 'Smells like Teen Spirit" lightly on her guitar.  
  
"Like them?" Freddy asked.  
  
"Of course! Their probably one of the most influential on the whole Seattle rock scene today" She said, not looking up from her guitar. Freddy joined in at the chorus with the drums. The two jammed and finished out the famous Nirvana song.  
  
"I would have to agree." He said as he spun his drum stick around in his fingers. She looked up at him and smiled, but looked down after wards. An uncomfortable silence filled the air after a matter of minutes. Freddy couldn't help but keep thinking about why she was in New York. He understood what it was like to have a family that he hated, but he didn't know what her story was. He didn't want to push as of only knowing her for about 3 minutes.  
  
"What happened with your family?" At this question, her head shot up. She looked at him in the eyes for a few moments and then looked up to the white cracked ceiling. Just as he was about to say something, Hayden spoke up.  
  
"You might be here for awhile..." She said as she took a seat on the old green couch which was pushed against the wall.  
  
"I don't mind" He said, getting up from his stool. "Anywhere is better than home" He said with a small laugh as he walked across the room. He took a seat on the other side of the couch.  
  
"Well... I'll start at the beginning" She said. "I was seven years old..."  
  
Flashback  
  
"HAYDEN! WHERE ARE YOU?" The girl heard a drunken voice call from downstairs.  
  
"Uh... Uh... Up here dad!" The young girl yelled back down  
  
She heard heavy footsteps advancing up the stairs. They became closer, heavy breathing became audible.  
  
"HAYDEN" The man yelled. Her door swung open. A man about six feet tall stood in her doorway. A bottle a quarter empty held in his left hand. His legs hidden in torn and dirty jeans shook underneath him.  
  
"Ye-Yes" She said, her eyes starting to sting, the old cuts burning.  
  
"YOUR PLAYING WITH THOSE BARBIE DOLLS AGAIN?!" His words slurring together as he spoke and advanced into the room.  
  
He threw the bottle against the wall.  
  
"AHHHH!" the little girl screamed. New footsteps were heard on the stairs, these, much much faster.  
  
The man advanced on the girl. Footsteps now running down the hall.  
  
"Come here little Hayden" The man said in fake sweetness, reaching his arms out.  
  
"RICHARD NO!" She heard her mother's voice from the door.  
  
"STAY OUT OF THIS!" The man swung around. The girl's mother was small, standing at about 5'4.  
  
"MOMMY!" The girl cried. Tears streaming from her eyes.  
  
"Hayden..." The woman felt weak. She tried to make her way around the man The man had slammed the woman against the closet, his face close to hers, his drunken breath glided across her fair face. He slammed his fist into her cheek. The girl watched the horror, watched her mom stand helpless against the intoxicated monster.  
  
She took another blow to her stomach. She slumped to the floor. Hayden's tears didn't stop, they came faster, in more mass.  
  
"DON'T CRY!" The man staggered towards her.  
  
"No! NO! NO!" The child screamed. The man slapped her.  
  
"DON'T CRY!" He yelled once more, punching her shoulder. She fell backwards from the power of the hit. He kicked her side, leaving a huge gash in her side. He kicked her again, and again. Not stopping, until blood started to emit from the girl's tiny body. The man grunted and left the room.  
  
"That was about the beginning of my problems" She told him. "My father continued to beat both my mother and I. He left within the next few years, occasionally returning, always intoxicated. My mom had kept up a good lifestyle for us, but we always ended up running. We always ended up leaving. He made his visits about once every two or three months. When the time rolled around, my mom and I would always leave. But he always seemed to find us. I guess the connections he had have never ceased to exist. Wherever I went, I was never accepted. I was the new girl with the braces and glasses. Everyone would make fun of me because of my appearance, but no one bothered to get to know me. I was an outcast, my mom was always away working, I was alone 24/7. One night, my mom was working late as a waitress, which wasn't abnormal. There was a knock on the door and I thought it was the pizza guy. But... it was my dad, he found us again. That night was probably the worst. I still have the scars. After that night, my mom tried to keep me safe, she got tired of always moving and thought she could protect herself. So this last weekend she had me move in with Dewey. My mom sent out a police search and they caught him and as of right now he's on probation. But yeah... that's about it in a nutshell" She sighed.  
  
"How long ago was that night?" he asked.  
  
"Last week" Hayden murmured, she looked down at her hands.  
  
"I-I'm really sorry" He said to her.  
  
She looked up at him. "Thanks" A weak smile came as fast as it went. "Look, I know I don't have the extent of problems that you do, but I do have pretty bad family problems. So... you know... if you want to talk or something... I'm here for it" Freddy was unsure of what to say, he never had any good friends that were girls.  
  
"Thanks" She said, not sure what to make of this new stranger. 


	2. All Cuts Are the Deepest

Warning: This chapter contains cutting and swearing. So if your sensitive to this stuff, STAY AWAY! Thank you!  
  
I'm REALLY sorry about the long wait! I've been busy, I usually have stuff up WAY faster than I'm doing  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Blah blah blah.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Her arm throbbed, her mind raced, blood dripped slowly from her wrists.  
  
"You're a useless little nothing with no future" her dad's voice rang in her head.  
  
"You're life is shit. You can't go anywhere" another one of his comments played on repeat in her mind.  
  
Her father wasn't present, but his comments were. She held the razor to her arm again. Tears welled in her eyes. She pushed the sharp object into her arm. A tear fell down her cheek. She pulled the razor across her arm quickly. A black tear fell down her face, makeup now running. The cut was at first white, but soon blood appeared. She didn't bother to wipe it away.  
  
Hayden dropped the object to her feet and she fell onto her bed, or rather her mattress on the floor. She pulled her sleeves over her arms, red now seeping through the thin white material. She didn't care. She just wanted to be gone.  
  
~*~*~  
  
She woke up the next morning to the bright light shining through the three windows which spanned her little corner. She had taken Dewey's bed and he was sleeping on the couch. It was a considerate gesture on his part. She heard laughing and talking coming from the kitchen. She threw the covers off of her. Still in her clothes from yesterday, her hair now in a messy pony tail, she untwisted her shirt and pulled down her jeans so they didn't look like floods as they did only moments before.  
  
"GOOOOOOD morning sunshine!" Dewey said in a cheery voice.  
  
"Morning" She mumbled as she dragged her feet. She saw the source of the voices. About 4 teens sitting around at the crappy table that Ned had had ever since he moved in. She recognized one as Freddy, but chose not to acknowledge him.  
  
"Hay, this is Zack, Summer, Katie, and I hear you have met Freddy" Dewey said, trying to get his cousin to speak up.  
  
She finally looked up, she realized that she didn't want to come off as a bitch to these people, as they may be the people that she would end up having to hang out with. "Hey" She said, a smile gracing her face, not genuine, but it was a smile all the same.  
  
"Hey" They all greeted.  
  
Freddy shook salt into Zack's soda while Zack was still turned around. He grabbed his drink and took a big sip. He flew out of his chair.  
  
"THIS is FOUL" Zack exclaimed. Freddy started laughing. He found pleasure it others' downfalls.  
  
"You GUYS! STOP fooling around. We have to organize our play list!" Summer exclaimed.  
  
"Don't get your underwear in a bunch Sum. It's ok to laugh" Freddy said sarcastically.  
  
"Shut up Freddy" She looked at him cynically.  
  
"Well the little one woke up on the wrong side of the bed today" Freddy mumbled, leaning back in his chair. Summer just glared at him.  
  
"Got tension?" Hayden commented as she hopped up on the counter.  
  
"Obviously not enough" Summer shot a sarcastic smile at Freddy and then started talking to everyone about the play list, but ended up just talking to herself. Which then turned into writing the play list by herself because Freddy was making dirty jokes about strip clubs again. Summer finally decided to go home because "she could not work under these god given conditions". So it ended up being Zack, Freddy, Hayden, Katie and Dewey. The guitars and drums were broken out and the jamming began. Zack kept trying to give Hayden tips on how to make the sound clearer, a bell instead of a buzz. The funny thing is, when he'd demonstrate, it sounded like a million bees flying around Hayden's head. Hayden just went along with it, 'Smile and nod', she thought.  
  
Freddy watched in amusement as Hayden shot Zack a sarcastic smile.  
  
"Here, do you want me to help you?" Zack asked, referring to the chord which he just 'taught' her.  
  
"No. I think I've got it. But thanks Zack" She smiled. She turned around and sat on the bench which was pushed up against a wall. Freddy shook his head. Zack took longing glances at Hayden. Freddy could see the need and want in his eyes. He laughed and rolled his eyes. 'That kid... is helpless.' He got up from his drum set and went and sat next to Hayden.  
  
"How did you like your little lesson?" Freddy asked, as he sniffed and put on an angelic look.  
  
"Shut it Freddy" She said, a hint of laughter in her voice.  
  
"You know. The whole guitarist thing has always been a turn on" He smirked.  
  
"Good to know that Zack turns you on" Hayden said, not looking up from her guitar.  
  
"I didn't- Wha- God, your such a girl" He struggled with the given situation.  
  
"Thanks Captain Obvious" She said sarcastically.  
  
"Yep, CAPTAIN. I'm so strong, and buff, and heroic." He said, a look of determination in his eyes as he flexed his arms.  
  
"Oh yes. Your muscles are AMAZING. If I was a six year old boy, I could probably take you." She commented.  
  
"Ya and I'd kick your ass missy" A satisfied smirk set on his face, Freddy walked back to his drum set. Hayden just laughed and shook her head. She lifted her head to see what everyone else was doing. She found Freddy twirling his drum sticks around, Zack practicing chords, Dewey sleeping, and Katie glaring at her. Hayden smiled at her, but Katie just looked back down at her bass.  
  
'What was that all about?' Hayden thought to herself, but she brushed it off.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Thank you SO much for the reviews. I read and saw all four of them and I appreciate it so so so so so much! It means the world, it really does. I hope this chapter works out for you guys and I promise I'll get stuff up faster than this. But I have to go to school so I can't do personal thanks right now. Thanks again! 


	3. I Want to Know

Ya you know I don't own anything. There is language blah blah blah. READDDDD it! No flamers, Reviewing is a good thing to do, good for your health. Yours and mine!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 3 I Want to Know  
  
Hayden lay in her bed that night thinking. She wasn't one to care who liked her and who didn't, but not knowing Katie and the whole glaring thing welled in her mind. She didn't like the fact that someone had something against her without saying even 2 words. She didn't like the fact that she didn't KNOW these people and she had already told one of them everything. She wasn't one to trust people easily, but somehow, Freddy's silence invited trust. There was a quality about him that showed self confidence, confidence in others, and trust. She wasn't sure, maybe the glimmer in his eyes, or his thin face, or his gentle smile, or maybe all of the above. She usually kept to herself and let the razor take care of every pain in the world. People always told her to stop. Friends that traveled out of her life as fast as they entered it, would sometimes cut with her, would sometimes spread rumors about her because they knew she was weak, and a few told her mom. On that account, Hayden had gone through several specialists, but her mother ended up just giving up on that because Hayden refused to talk to anyone about her problems. This was due to the fact that she had a 'best friend' with whom she shared everything. Only to find the next day the whole school knowing the wrong facts, losing all of her friends because they had been told that she had a 'contagious disease' and the one best friend denying it all. Ever since then, Hayden never told anyone anything. This became a hardship in future friendships that she had. This is why she was truly surprised when she opened up to Freddy like she did. She was bound to either be really attached to the blondie, or really nervous around him. Only time would tell. She rolled her head and looked at the old clock flashing 12:53 next to her. She closed her eyes. Attempting to gain a peaceful sleep and get rid of her problems for the night, but sleep never came. Eventually, around 4, her mind drifted to a more peaceful world than what she was actually living.  
  
The next morning, her alarm blared Led Zeppelin as Dewey ripped open the curtains and singing along with the song.  
  
"uhh" Hayden moaned as she pulled the covers over her head.  
  
"LOVER BOY IS HEREEEEE" Dewey called as he ran out of the corner with high knees and a possessed look on his face  
  
"Who?!?!" Hayden called. She was never REALLY sure what her cousin was talking about, but this was one of those times when she didn't have the slightest clue.  
  
"Lover boy? I'm sure I would be if maybe I actually KNEW the girl" She heard Freddy's voice.  
  
"AH AH AHH AHHH" Dewey screamed the beginning of the famous Led song.  
  
Hayden laughed and threw the covers off of her. She was clad in a pair of baggy black sweatpants and a navy blue sweatshirt. She stumbled into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee.  
  
"Ya.. it looks like YOUR ready to go" Freddy commented.  
  
"Wait, I'm going somewhere?" Hayden asked, stirring about 3 packs of Equal sugar into her coffee.  
  
"Your coming to find drums with me. If I go with Katie, she'll take an hour to put on lip gloss, if I go with Zach, we'll get kicked out of the store, if I go with Lawrence, I won't get to talk, if I go with Summer, she won't shut up, if I go wi-"Freddy started his long list of people that he could possibly go with.  
  
"Ya ya I get the point." Hayden waved her hand at him. She pulled up the sleeve of her sweatshirt.  
  
"I also kind of wanted to talk to you about something" He told her as his eyes went from hers to her arm, and then back to her eyes. Hayden gulped and pulled her sleeve back down. She didn't want him to know that she was weak. She didn't want to know him so fast.  
  
"um... We might just have to stick to the drums" She mumbled. Freddy shot her a warning look.  
  
"I'll go get dressed" She said as she shuffled back to the curtain enclosed corner. She slipped on her usual jeans and a sweatshirt. She brushed her straight chestnut brown hair and kept it down. She shoved money in her back pocket and slid on her Chuck Taylor's. She walked back out to the kitchen and motioned to the door. The walk down to Freddy's car was silent. As soon as Freddy nearly ran into a stop sign, he brought up the dreaded subject.  
  
"Why?" He asked simply.  
  
"Look Freddy, I don't know you. But I'll give you an explanation just because leaving someone in the dark whether you know them or not is stupid" Hayden said. Freddy just gave a slight nod of his head. He glanced at her; a look of inviting trust. 'oh no...' Hayden thought. She always wanted someone to trust, she just didn't want to be so close so fast. It was silent except for the busy traffic. Hayden thought back and forth what to tell Freddy, what to do about this. "Look Freddy. I'm really not comfortable talking about this kind of stuff because I've never really HAD to. I mean I've had psychiatrist's but those didn't last long. I'd prefer if I just told you on my own time" She told him. Freddy pondered. He didn't want her to hurt herself but he had to respect her privacy.  
  
"Ok" Freddy said shortly. This was the point of taking her to the drum store with him. He didn't actually need to go the drum store, he just needed an excuse to get her out of the house and talk to her. Which, as was previously seen, didn't quite work. Freddy drove clear past the drum store.  
  
"Umm... You just passed it..." Hayden commented.  
  
"I've done it too" The drummer said, completely ignoring Hayden's comment. He looked at her to find a reaction. He found a look of puzzlement. "I used to cut" He explained.  
  
"Oh" She let a little nod and then looked out the window. She was uncomfortable being so close to someone she barely knew. Sure they had that first night of conversation and sure she trusted him, but she didn't want to. She didn't want such a fast friendship. She wanted to make sure that that's what he wanted, a friendship, not just someone who is going to go tell all of her secrets again. She was full of that type of thing.  
  
"I know how it feels to need to do it" He explained, turning another corner.  
  
"Mm..." She mumbled as she pulled her sleeve over her hand and rested her head on her clenched hand.  
  
"Please talk to me. I haven't had any one to talk to about this. I know that you're not comfortable about this, but what am I going to do that could make you so worried? What would I do that would make you not trust me. I still have secrets from fourth grade. I have my own secrets which no one knows. Hayden... trust me. I can help you and you can help me." The last sentence struck her as interesting.  
  
"What makes you think that I can help you?" She asked suspiciously.  
  
"No one is really like me at our school. They all pretty much follow their parents rule and don't really care, they just play the music, go home, study, get A's. There is almost no heart. From what I've heard from you, you have the heart of a fucking elephant. You've gone through a lot and I haven't gone through as much as you have but I'm not the bad person everyone thinks I am. Sure I'm cynical and sarcastic but that doesn't mean that I don't want someone to talk to" He told her.  
  
"O..." She just said un emotionally.  
  
"Just tell me why. Tell me why it's so hard for you to trust."  
  
"Freddy. How long have I known you?"  
  
"Two days"  
  
"You just answered your own question." Hayden said, not tearing her eyes off of the monotonous gray buildings, the faceless people walking the streets, the anonymous little kids. She would never know the world. She was almost dead inside. Almost...  
  
~*~*~  
  
Freddy finally got out of her the story of not trusting people, her best friend turning her back on her. Freddy was a little more delicate with Hayden now. He didn't know her as well as he wanted to, but it wasn't over yet. He wasn't going to give up.  
  
The next few weeks Freddy and Hayden slowly got closer and closer until a month passed and he was the best friend that she could trust with anything. Freddy was her rock and she was his. But he still didn't know why she called him sobbing and just wanting him to be silent on the phone, just be there. He didn't understand. But she had her reasons, and she still had her secrets. He had yet to find out about her cutting. He had yet to find out why she wouldn't come to school some days and why she called him sobbing, wishing for silence, why she was still such a shadow in the bright light of their friendship  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
MarySueH8tr – I'm really sorry and I'm TRYING to make it better for you, I PROMISE =D  
  
OrLaNdO~LuVeR – YAYYYY I GET 10 GOLD STARS! Thank you so much for the review.. it inspiirrrred me to write more. Hope you liked this chapttter  
  
squidluvr4eva – hey deary, thank you very much for the review. And ya it's really sad stuff but its everywhere.. it's pretty scary. But hope you liked this chapter  
  
It did move a little fast but I don't need to spend a whole chapter talking about how they got closer, ok? Ok!  
  
Now do you see that little button that says go? Press it! Remember, it's good for your health! 


	4. Long Lost Hatrid

_I am dedicating this chapter to Fea, whose comment was the one that really made me feel TERRIBLE about not writing. I hope you like this chapter my dear.  
_  
Thank you to:  
  
**squidluvr4eva**– thank you for being the reviewer through ALL of this, reviewing all slowly updated chapters. I'm sorry about the short chapters. I'll see what I can do. THANK YOU! SO MUCH! You don't know how much it means  
  
**Crazy Chica 91** – haha aren't my random times JUST wonderful?!? Hope you like this  
  
**mel15** – ok so this chapter didn't explain why Freddy cut, but the next one will. I still cut, and it's REALLY hard to go through, but I'm slowly coming out of it. I'm glad I did it well  
  
**Fea** – wow.. I'd just like to apologize and thank you for the words you said, which really weren't a whole essay, but they were the ones that made me feel REALLY guilty about not writing... I hope this is ok.

* * *

**Chapter Four**  
  
_**Long Lost Hatrid  
**_  
Hayden sprawled on the mattress in the corner of the small apartment and stared at the ceiling. She wasn't sure what she had gotten herself into with Freddy. She knew she would be leaving Dewey's soon, but... she connected with the young blonde so well, she couldn't help but give in to his chocolate eyes. But when she thought about it, she was never completely sure of what she was doing. She was a person who lived her life on impulse, usually looking back with regrets. When she was a little girl and she sat on her grandfather's khaki covered knee, he would always tell her that the reason put eyes in the front of her head was so that she could look forward not back. She always wanted to be one of those people, who could let go and enjoy life. But that boat had already sailed.  
  
Hayden brought the brown bottle to her moist lips. She took yet another swig. She almost laughed at herself. When she was young, she was the one with the pigtails and bows and twirling pink dresses. Where was she now? Bottom of the bottle and slit veins. She didn't understand the extent of her actions or her situation anymore. She was numb to all of that. She was numb to the world. She was numb to everything except for love. Hayden had never felt true love from anyone except her mother. Her mother is her everything and when she was taken away from her, she lost a part of herself.  
  
Hayden listened to the rain beat against the windowpane. Faster and faster, hitting harder and harder against the glass pane. It almost resembled her heart. But that didn't stop her from finishing of the fourth beer.  
  
It was odd to her that Dewey never noticed the hangover the next morning. Freddy did. But Freddy was sometimes the one being hung over with her the next morning. So it really didn't matter. Maybe it was the fact that Dewey was on this whole 24/7 drunk/high streak type of thing. That was her theory about Dewey; not much could bring the man down.  
  
Through the hard beating of rain, she faintly heard a knock on the door. She waited; unsure of if it was just her drunk mind fooling her, or if there really was someone at the door at... 1:07 a.m. Who knew, this was Chicago. She heard a stronger knock. Hayden cocked an eyebrow. It might be Freddy. When he needs escape from his home he usually comes here and brings along some alcohol, but usually just a pillow. Hayden got up, maybe a little too quickly.  
  
"Ow" She whispered, bringing her hand to her head. She slowly drew back the plaid shower curtains that separated her from the rest of the small apartment. And also provided her with privacy that she needed to get away with things normal 15 year olds don't. Bottle in hand, Hayden stumbled across the living room, through the kitchen, running into a chair on her way out.  
  
"Fuck" she cursed herself. She finally reached the door, placing a cold hand over the brass knob. Without even checking the peep hole, she swung the door open. This might have been the biggest mistake yet. What could a 15 year old drunk girl do? She expected her best friend. She got something much, much worse.  
  
"Hayden" a tall man said with no expression. His broad shoulders draped in a wet black cloak, a black cap covering his hair and masking his eyes. Hayden gulped; tears stung her eyes. She swung the door, trying to close it. The man caught it.  
  
"Hayden. Don't run from me. You know what happens when you run from me".  
  
A shiver went down Hayden's spine. Her body jolted with a sudden sense of reality. Her father stood in front of her. He had come for her, like he always told her he would. A lump in her throat, tears in her eyes, a bottle in her hand; Hayden was more scared than she had ever been in her life. She wasn't sure what to do. She tried to take a step back, tried to ward him off with her arms. Her body wouldn't move. She tried to scream. Her voice was lost. All mental strength, all physical strength had disappeared along with a comprehension of exactly she had gotten into in her life. The only action Hayden performed was the dropping of the almost empty beer bottle, shattering on the tattered wooden floor, and her jaw dropped along with her intoxicant.  
  
"Ah... I... Ah... Eh..." faints sounds escaped Hayden's mouth. Her father bent over and picked up a shard of glass.  
  
"Why did you run from your father Hayden?" Her father took a step closer to her. She tried to take a steady step back but tripped on the neck of the bottle which remained in a cylinder. She landed on the ground, her hand driven into a piece of glass. She winced in pain as she looked down at the bloody mess.  
  
"Oh... No worries about that little scratch" Her father said with a small smirk.  
  
"Uhh... Ow... Ahh..." Hayden muttered, still completely incomprehensive.  
  
"Get up" her father muttered fiercely. Hayden slowly stood, not bothering to wipe the blood now running down her hand, still stinging as if a thousand knives drove into her hand. He took a step closer to her, she didn't take a step back this time; knowing that the punishment would be far worse than what she was about to get. She only took a deep gulp. Her breath became short as she could smell the smoke on his jacket. She didn't dare look up.  
  
"Where is your mother" he said gruffly.  
  
"I don't know" Hayden squeaked.  
  
"You KNOW where your mother is. Now it's time to share." He said a bit louder, holding the cold, sharp piece of glass to her cheek.  
  
"I don't know where she is. She sent me here and left" Hayden explained. She didn't know where her mother was. This was the first time she could possibly die over it.  
  
Her father pulled the glass across her face sharply and quickly. "YOU KNOW WHERE SHE IS!" He kicked Hayden to the ground again. Blood now coming from her cheek in immense amounts, her hand still bleeding.  
  
"I don't know!" Hayden screamed, tears flooding her cheeks, burning the long cut.  
  
"I will know if you are lying to me Hayden. I WILL be back" He threw the piece of glass at her. She only looked away. She only felt the blood trickling down her hand and cheek. She only felt steps coming from the living room as the door to the apartment shut. She only felt herself dying inside.  
  
"Hayden... Hayden???" Were the last words Hayden heard before her world went black.

* * *

No she's not dead, no the story isn't over, and yes I feel bad about taking months to do this! I had finals and I was totally stressed but thank you all who waited for this. 

I will have another chapter up by the end of the week. I'm working on it right now


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